A38 Bromsgrove Improvements

The A38 is one of north Worcestershire's most important strategic transport routes.

The need to improve the A38 corridor from Lydiate Ash (M5, Junction 4) to Hanbury Turn (junction with B4091 Hanbury Road) was identified in Worcestershire Local Transport Plan. The overall plan which was subject to a full 12-week statutory public consultation between December 2016 and March 2017.

The aim of the A38 improvements is to ensure the Bromsgrove area can be ‘open for business’ by supporting economic growth. The wider scheme includes a series of junction enhancements where delay and congestion is currently experienced or where conditions are predicted to deteriorate further without intervention.

The first phase of the scheme includes:

Improvements in capacity at Junction 4 of the M5

Improvements in capacity at the M42/A38 roundabout

Introduction of a right turn lane for southbound traffic waiting to turn into Barley Mow Lane

See map below for phase 1 locations:

The first location to see improvements to Barley Mow Lane.

This phase is supported and funded by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and Highways England.

The first location to see improvements is Barley Mow Lane:

Barley Mow Lane Improvements

This part of the scheme includes the provision of a dedicated right turn lane for southbound A38 traffic wishing to turn into Barley Mow Lane.

Traffic modelling forecasts, following a methodology approved by Highways England, suggest that southbound traffic being held up by traffic waiting to turn right into Barley Mow Lane will become a significant issue in the future as traffic volumes continue to grow.

The lane will help to prevent through-traffic being held up by traffic waiting to make the turn.

To make room for the right turn lane, the existing pedestrian crossing will be moved slightly further north and the bus stops will be moved a few metres from their current locations.

There will also be some improvements to street lighting between Barley Mow Lane and Hazelton Road as part of the scheme.

Work started onsite in late April and will require some lane restrictions (lanes will be narrower than normal) near Barley Mow Lane.

Later in the programme, a number of overnight closures will be needed for resurfacing. The exact timings of these will be confirmed approx. 2 weeks before the closures.

There will also be a small number of days when temporary traffic signals will be in used during off-peak hours however this will be kept to a minimum.

We’ll keep you up to date with when the closures will be in place on this webpage and via travel twitter (@worcstravel).